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Sukhmani Sahib: 5th Ashtapadee: 7th Pauri: My Understanding

Amarpal

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Jun 11, 2004
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Dear Khalsa Ji,
I share with you all, my understanding of the 7th Pauri of 5th Ashtapadee of Sukhmani Sahib. Please note that the English sentence after the Transliteration is not the exact literal translation of the sentence, it is the meaning of the tuk as understood by me.
First the summary of the Pauri: In this Pauri, Guru Sahib has emphasized the need to be harmonious in what we think, say and do. He wants his Sikhs to be integrated personalities with no conflict within their own self. He says it is futile, because ‘The Sat’ knows every thing.
1. rhq Avr kCu Avr kmwvq ] rahat avar kachh avar kamaavat.
The person pretends to live in a particular way but does which does not conform to her/his living.

2. min nhI pRIiq muKhu gMF lwvq ] man nahee pareet mukhahu gandh laavat.
There is no love in his heart, and yet with his mouth he talks tall.

3. jwnnhwr pRBU prbIn ] jaananhaar parabhoo parbeen.
To ‘The Sat’ all is visible.

4. bwhir ByK n kwhU BIn ] baahar bhaykh na kaahoo bheen.
‘The Sat’ is not impressed by outward display.

My understanding:
Many of us cover our real lives through pretence. Many give in charity what they have really obtained through dubious means. They suitably advertise what appear to be Sewa, yet ‘The Sat’ knows that this is not the true earning, it is not Kirt; it is obtained through manipulation. The external action of charity is not in conformance with the real way of earning.
Guru Sahib points out the divergence between what the person says and what she or he has in the heart. ‘The Sat’ knows the truth. As I understand, ‘The Sat’ is within us, nothing of our action escape its knowledge. It is my considered opinion that ‘The Sat’ is the core of our inner self. The worldly living covers it with dirt and then as this dirt becomes thicker and thicker, the voice of the core of the inner self becomes weaker and weaker and a stage comes where we are unable to listen to this inner voice ‘The Sat’ this is the stage when it is said that the person’s conscious is dead. We do what is suggested by the outer coating of the dirt. Yet the inner core listen to what the outer coating is saying and thus knows every thing. When we cleanse our being it is in fact removing the outer coating of the dirt, then we can listen to the voice that comes from the core of our inner self. ‘The Sat’ knows every thing – it cannot be fooled by any pretence. ‘The Sat’ is not impressed by what the Karmendriyas do, it sees, as I understand where the soft output of the functioning brain – mind – is.
Note: Removing the dirt from the core means creating a mental make up which is not subordinate to senses. Senses if not disciplines have a strong tendency to go after the objects of their gratification, forcing the person to deviate from the path of the Truth. In this new frame work of functioning of the brain, one listens only to the voice of truth which comes from inner core i.e. ‘the Sat’ and the brain then directs the Gyanendriyas and the Karmendriyas in accordance with this voice of Truth. The soft output of the brain i.e. the mind, becomes Satvika and pure.
5. Avr aupdysY Awip n krY ] avar updaysai aap na karai.
One who does not practice what he preaches to others,

6. Awvq jwvq jnmY mrY ] aavat jaavat janmai marai.
Will go through the cycles of births and deaths

7. ijs kY AMqir bsY inrMkwru ] jis kai antar basai nirankaar.
The one in which formless ‘Sat’ is.

8. iqs kI sIK qrY sMswru ] tis kee seekh tarai sansaar.
by following such people the world is saved.

My understanding:
Guru Sahib in these Tuks has very clearly said that those who live dual life – speech is different from action, will develop a thick coating of worldly desires and dirt on their inner core and thus will remain qualified for death, birth and death.
The person who has shed the coating of dirt from his inner self will have only ‘The Sat’ residing in him/her. And by following the ways of such people in their lives the world is saved.
Note:
Here I share with you how I conceptualize the process of rebirth.
The core of our inner self is ‘The Sat’. As we live a worldly life more and more of worldly desires coat this core of the inner self. The core along with the coating I refer to as composite self
When the body becomes feeble and no is longer worthy for the objectives of this composite self to be fulfilled, the composite self leaves the body and the person dies. This composite self leaves the body only to continue what agenda was left unfinished in the previous body and for this it finds a new body through which the objectives/desires that had remained unfulfilled can be accomplished. In the new birth again it collects some fresh dirt and when this new acquired body also becomes unworthy of supporting the needs of the composite self, it again leaves the body to find and new body to continue with its agenda. This way the process of birth and death continues and the composite self keeps going through this cycle of birth and death.
When the composite self realizes its folly, it sheds the coated dirt on the core of the self. This core of the self is nothing but ‘The Sat’. Now the body to which this self belongs has only the core in its inner self. When the body becomes feeble this core leaves the body and the person dies; this inner self has no agenda left to be fulfilled. This core is ‘The Sat’; the Absolute within us and it stands merges – freed from the cycles of birth, death and rebirth.
9. jo qum Bwny iqn pRBu jwqw ] jo tum bhaanay tin parabh jaataa.
Those who live within stipulate of ‘The Sat’, they go your way; they are in a way similar to you.

10. nwnk aun jn crn prwqw ]7] naanak un jan charan paraataa. ||7||
Nanak fall at the feet of such evolved persons.

My understanding:
In this Tuk, Guru Sahib tells us that the person who is living in accordance with the life meant to be lived in human form ( as I understand, it is to become instrument of God. Such persons live a Godly life - working for sustaining themselves through earning of honest work (Kirt) and to further evolve the creation of ‘The Sat’ and to protect its environment.) Such persons are worthy of highest form of reverence which Guru Sahib, who himself had reached the level of spiritual evolution and had become divine, say that he falls on the feet of such persons.
With this I close the post.
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal Singh
 

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